Antilactoferrin antibodies in autoimmune liver disease

Antilactoferrin antibodies have been reported in patients with several auto immune disorders, including primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmune cholangitis. We investigated the prevalence and the clinica l significance of such autoreactivity in patients with autoimmune and viral chronic liver disease. Sera from 39 patients with autoimmune hepatitis, 51 with primary biliary cirrhosis, 17 with autoimmune cholangitis, 24 with pr imary sclerosing cholangitis and 28 with HCV-related chronic hepatitis were studied. Positivity for antilactoferrin antibodies was evaluated by Wester n immunoblotting with purified human lactoferrin. Antilactoferrin antibodie s were detected more often in autoimmune liver disorders (25% autoimmune he patitis, 25% primary biliary cirrhosis, 35% autoimmune cholangitis, 29% pri mary sclerosing cholangitis) than in HCV-related chronic hepatitis (3.5%, P < 0.02 versus all). Positivity for antilactoferrin antibodies was not asso ciated with a particular clinical or biochemical profile of the underlying liver disease. No correlation was observed between antilactoferrin reactivi ty and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Antilactoferrin a ntibodies are present significantly more often in autoimmune than in viral liver disorders, but they cannot be considered the serological marker of a specific autoimmune liver disease.